The present invention relates to a composition for and method of producing a fiber-enhanced confection or snack. More specifically, the present invention relates to a composition for and method of producing a chewy fructose-based confection fortified with supplemental dietary fiber which can be stabilized to produce a long textured taffy-like candy or a short textured nougat-like candy, which candy has an acceptable mouthfeel and exhibits a reduced stickiness on the consumer's teeth through incorporation of a unique combination of mono- and diglycerides.
In keeping with recommendations proposed by leading health authorities, consumers have shown an increasing interest in maintaining a healthy diet which includes consuming higher levels of dietary fiber and reducing the amount of fat. Research on the physiological benefits of fiber have shown that soluble fiber may lower serum cholesterol and help manage blood glucose levels, while insoluble fiber has been found useful in the normalization of bowel function and reduction in the occurrence of colonic diseases. Consumers, however, often find it difficult to meet the recommended daily intake of 25-30 grams of dietary fiber through increased consumption of fruits and vegetables alone. Furthermore, incorporation of supplemental dietary fiber in the diet has been difficult due to the lack of availability of palatable, high fiber, processed foods. Typically, when high amounts of supplemental dietary fiber are added to processed foods, the consumer experiences unacceptable sensory changes in flavor, texture, mouthfeel and general palatability. Prior artisans have encouraged the consumption of fiber by attempting to reduce the objectionable taste of such fiber by incorporating supplemental dietary fiber into products such as cereals, granola bars, puffed snack products and candy-like products. In those instances where supplemental dietary fiber is added, most prior artisans have attempted to resolve the problems of objectionable taste and mouthfeel by enrobing or encapsulating the supplemental dietary fiber with another food grade material.
For example, one such artisan who has incorporated fiber into confectionery products has attempted to solve the aforementioned problems by pretreating the fiber with lubricating materials such as fat and glycerine prior to combining the fiber with the confectionery base. This coating purports to serve the purpose of providing a lubricating and taste masking effect on the fiber. Another artisan who adds fiber to a snack food uses the method of soaking the dietary fiber in a food grade oil before incorporating the fiber into a granola bar. Yet another artisan prepares supplemental dietary fiber for inclusion in products such as snack bars by enrobing insoluble fiber in soluble fiber.
In each of these alternatives, the artisan has attempted to mask the objectionable flavor and textural attributes of the fiber through some type of pretreatment process before the fiber is incorporated into the end product. There are several disadvantages associated with pretreatment using lipids, such as the added time and expense of pretreating the fiber and the resulting high levels of fat in the end product. When fat-enrobed supplemental fiber is used, the product cannot deliver the advantage of both increased fiber content and simultaneous reduction in fat. Therefore, there exists a need for a composition containing supplemental dietary fiber and a reduced fat content which exhibits acceptable organoleptic attributes and a method of producing the same without the additional step of pretreatment and without the addition of lipid materials to the supplemental dietary fiber.